The present invention relates to a suspension chain head for a mechanically assembled strand-oriented sling chain system.
Suspension chain heads of the above-mentioned type have been known. Such a suspension chain head includes an annular suspension member for suspending the chain head which is undetachably connected with a connecting element shaped as a forked shackle or annular fork which, in turn, carries individual sling chains or connecting members. A transition or intermediate member may be provided, which member is welded to the suspension member and is connected with the above-mentioned connecting element. The sling chains or connecting members are correspondingly dimensionsed and have corresponding carrying capacity in predetermined range inasmuch as they serve for hanging or mounting loads thereto, or for suspending, shortening and/or connecting the chains thereto.
Different customers frequently make requirements that such strand-oriented or predetermined and unmistakenly arranged suspension chain heads be so formed as to from the first exclude eventual faulty mounting of sling chains or connecting members to the elements of the chain head.
These requirements are met by the known suspension members for one strand or two strand sling chains, which are so formed for receiving a predetermined number of sling chains or connecting members that the suspension element may be connected respectively with only one or more sling chains whose dimensions and carrying capacity are selected in a certain range. The known suspension members with the number of the chains connected thereto are increasingly expensive in manufacturing and have small sturdiness.
Suspension chain heads have been also known, including an annular suspension member which is welded with an annular transitional or intermediate member. A forked shackle or annular fork for connecting individual sling chains or connecting members of predetermined dimensions is welded to the transitional or intermediate member.
In such a suspension chain head a goal of mounting a predetermined limited number of sling chains is attained without difficulties encountered in the construction with three or more connecting elements or sling chains. In this case, on each forked shackle or annular fork only one sling chain or connecting member with certain dimensions and carrying capacity can be mounted. However, since all members of such a suspension chain head up to the forked shackles or annular forks must be welded to one another, the chain head must be manufactured for different applications and loading conditions in an extraordinarily great number of different constructions and dimensions, that particularly undesirably increases the storage expenditures.